15 November 2012

Wake Up! Part 1

To wake my blog from its unplanned hibernation, I am writing about two new places in one blog entry! I never intended to go on hiatus but I guess I'm not a real writer because I don't always have time to write *sob* So now that I have extra time from work, I will write as much as I can before it runs out. Let's go!

A few months back, Gus showed me this dimsum place in SM North EDSA which he described as "new and interesting." But with all the dimsum houses in Manila, I didn't know what to think of. "Another dimsum house? What's new? We could always go to an authentic Chinese restaurant for dimsum." What was so different and interesting about this one?

To satisfy our curiosity, we decided to have dinner there. It was called Dimsum Break. I was still a bit hesitant about going so all the stereotype images of dimsum houses started popping into my head. But when we got there, I was speechless.

The place did somehow remind you of stereotypical dimsum houses you might have been to in the country -- very simple interiors, rectangular tables, and a noisy ambiance.

But what really stands out is their concept of "serving" food:

Unlike other dimsum places, you get to choose which specific dimsum plate you want. Fresh dimsum in bamboo containers are laid out and customers wait in line to get their desired dimsum. Customers can also pick the condiments they want to go with their dimsum.

For those who want to try their rice specialties, two servers, who are more than happy to assist you, are waiting next to the dimsum table where the rice pots and special sauces are.

We tried their special fried rice, a house specialty. For P65, you get a bowl of hot rice with their special sauce. The sauce is very flavorful (it tasted like meat and shrimp), meaty, and it had some vegetables. But don't expect a lot of vegetables. It was more meaty, which is actually better considering the price. :)

Special Fried Rice

P65

As for their dim sum, each plate is filled with mouthwatering, delicious, and affordable pieces. Despite the affordability of each product, the quality wasn't sacrificed.

Empress Roll, Mushroom Shaomai, and Garlic Pork Spareribs

We tried something new that night. The Empress Roll was a combination of vermicelli-like noodles and meat wrapped in cabbage. Gus really liked this one. It was new, and the mixture inside was delicious. He couldn't really dissect what meat, vegetable combination was inside but he still loved it.

Empress Roll

P65

The Mushroom Shaomai also caught Gus's attention simply because there was a slice of mushroom on top of it. No regrets, though. This was also a winner that night. Something new, and delicious.

Mushroom Shaomai

P65

As for me, I went for an old favorite. I tried their Garlic Pork Spareribs, and I was so glad I did! I think this is the best pork spareribs I've tried so far. It was a little spicy, really garlic-y, and just whoa. I love garlic, and when something in the menu says "garlic" I expect to taste garlic in it. And this certainly passed my standards.

Garlic Pork Spareribs

P65

The final leg of this dimsum experience is the small, glass refrigerator that holds their cold desserts. Unfortunately, we didn't really feel like eating anything sweet that night. They had the usual -- buchi, mango custard, coconut cream (which looked like coconut jelly), and some Filipino favorites like leche flan and buko pandan.

For those who prefer something hot, or something healthier, Dimsum Break also offers noodles, soup, and vegetable side dishes like cucumber salad, radish salad, garlic vegetables, and more.Dimsum Break is definitely a new dim sum house to try. The food is great. The staff are friendly. The interiors look fresh, modern, innovative.A little trivia about Dimsum Break: They are a very popular dimsum chain in Cebu. They have over 40 branches there, and this is their first expansion in Manila.

Price Range: P55-80 per person4.5 out of 5 for Dimsum Break (simply because I love adding different sauces to food, and I think they need more condiments)Dimsum Break 3/F SM North EDSA Annex